The Queen of Ireland

Panti Bliss is many things: part glamorous aunt, part Jessica Rabbit, she's a wittily incisive performer with charisma to burn who is regarded as one of the best drag queens in the business. Created by Rory O'Neill, Panti is also an accidental activist and in her own words 'a court jester, whose duty is to say the un-sayable'. Over the last few years Rory has become a figurehead for LGBT rights in Ireland and since the recent scandal around Pantigate, his fight for equality and against homophobia has been recognised all around the world.

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Reviews

Panti Bliss is a drag queen in Ireland who became an almost-accidental queer activist in the fight for marriage equality.

It's a finely made film, discussing queer matters in a British milieu, from the underground culture that developed due to criminalization to Ireland's popular vote for equality. The film, as per the title, is focused on Panti Bliss and her creator Rory from youth to present, including a dust storm that seemed to set off the whole debate in Ireland. The film is energetic, crass, funny, and everything you'd expect. my only beef is funneling the story of Ireland's queer community through one person seems almost minimizing to the community at large and maximizing of Panti's role in the fight. Otherwise, it's a fine document of one activist.